The City of Greater Bendigo is inviting public feedback on revised Governance Rules which outline how Council decisions are made, how Council meetings are run and how conflicts of interest should be handled.
The draft Governance Rules have been updated to align with the recent amendment to the Local Government Act 2020 (the Act) and reflect current best practice standards. The Act requires every council to have Governance Rules.
The Governance Rules help the City to meet its requirements to ensure Councillors and City staff act fairly and openly during meetings, when making decisions, and during election times.
The Governance Rules aim to:
- Encourage constructive debate and good decision-making
- Guide how Council uses its powers and does its work
- Set the steps for how Council meetings are run
- Explain how the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are elected
- Give ways for Council to hear what the community thinks
- Include rules for how Council must act during election times
The Governance Rules also apply to how the public can participate in Council meetings. It outlines:
- How people should behave when attending a Council meeting
- What you need to do if you want to submit a petition or joint letter
- How to ask a public question at a Council meeting
The Election Period Policy is incorporated in the Governance Rules. However, that Policy was reviewed in 2024, and is not part of this review.
Director of Corporate Performance Angela Hays said the draft Governance Rules are a vital part of how Council operates transparently and responsibly.
"This review offers an important opportunity for the community to help shape the way Council meetings are run. We encourage everyone to take a look and share their feedback on the City's online engagement platform Let's Talk," Ms Hays said.
The draft Governance Rules survey is open until Monday, November 17.
